Sustenance Festival

Sustenance Festival is a city-wide festival that celebrates arts, food, and culture in Vancouver. Alongside community groups, artists, and local organizations, Sustenance Festival pushes the boundaries of food innovation.

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Join Indigenous matriarch Dawn Morrison, leader of the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Network, to learn about the importance of wild salmon in our local ecosystems and waterways. Celebrate the Wild Salmon

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Join Indigenous matriarch Dawn Morrison, leader of the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Network, to learn about the importance of wild salmon in our local ecosystems and waterways. Celebrate the Wild Salmon Caravan and enjoy a wild salmon feast!

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Come and taste Oolichans! Learn the history behind Oolichans and the cultural history from the Nass Valley, the traditional territories of the Nisga’a Peoples. Learn how these small rich and

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Come and taste Oolichans! Learn the history behind Oolichans and the cultural history from the Nass Valley, the traditional territories of the Nisga’a Peoples. Learn how these small rich and nutritious fish are harvested, cooked and enjoyed.

These Indigenous-led workshops are about learning and understanding our true community history. Today’s youth will share their ancestry cultural roots through traditional foods and crafts. These sessions are led by RISE (Responsible Indigenous Strategy for Empowerment) leaders Jessica Savoy from the Squamish Nation and Shaniece Angus from Nisga’a & Tsimshian Nations.

These workshops will take place in the lobby of the Mount Pleasant Community Centre.

The Mount Pleasant Community Centre is located on unceded Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaɬ(Tsleil- Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) territories.

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The Future of Food Global Dialogue Series presents Stephanie Godrich.
In this presentation, Dr. Stephanie Godrich will discuss determinants of food insecurity and showcase an Australian-first project that is examining the issue using

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The Future of Food Global Dialogue Series presents Stephanie Godrich.

In this presentation, Dr. Stephanie Godrich will discuss determinants of food insecurity and showcase an Australian-first project that is examining the issue using a systems thinking approach. The presentation will also highlight the value of social mobilisation, co-design and cross-sector collaboration to address complex problems.

Dr. Stephanie Godrich is a Registered Public Health Nutritionist with both the Nutrition Society of Australia and the World Public Health Nutrition Association. Over the past 12 years, she has developed, delivered and evaluated numerous community-based food literacy programs with multiple population groups. Stephanie has also worked in the university sector in statewide project coordination, research and lecturing positions, and independently as a public health consultant to government and non-government organisations. Stephanie’s PhD focused on food security in rural and remote Western Australia. Her current research focuses on supporting communities to create healthy, resilient and sustainable food environments. She is currently leading an Australian-first project which includes working with cross-sector stakeholders such as food producers, social workers, educators, town planners and health workers to build communities’ capacity to achieve healthy food for all.

This event brought to you by the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at the UBC Farm.

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Resurfacing History: Land & Lives in Mount Pleasant will share land engagement practices and the teachings of their recently completed project at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House. In Spring 2018, this

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Resurfacing History: Land & Lives in Mount Pleasant will share land engagement practices and the teachings of their recently completed project at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House. In Spring 2018, this project trained community members as Community Cultural Facilitators through land-based learning led by elders and cultural teachers.

This project focussed on developing a community process for promoting understanding between cultural value systems. It worked towards building capacity for Indigenous people to be part of a mechanism that preserves culture, explores knowledge and integrates actionable steps that can make social ecosystems and infrastructure work better for urban Indigenous families and community members.

Listen, learn, and participate in a dialogue about community processes to develop effective sharing of Indigenous traditional knowledge and plant use.

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Wheels to Meals is a healthy, affordable, and accessible luncheon for seniors that takes place every other Thursday at the Hastings Community Center. This lunch is a chance for seniors

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Wheels to Meals is a healthy, affordable, and accessible luncheon for seniors that takes place every other Thursday at the Hastings Community Center. This lunch is a chance for seniors to socialize and share a meal together. A ride can be arranged to and from the lunch, and the cost is only $3!

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Westside Food Collaborative and Kits House is starting a new Seed Savers Club! You're invited to join the inaugural meeting of the Kits House Seed Saver Club.
Join the Kits House

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Westside Food Collaborative and Kits House is starting a new Seed Savers Club! You’re invited to join the inaugural meeting of the Kits House Seed Saver Club.

Join the Kits House Seed Saver Club to meet other gardeners, seed savers, food enthusiasts and help support community food efforts in the Kitsilano neighbourhood.

Ross Moster from Village Vancouver will lead the group through a short presentation on seed saving that will explore seed libraries, seed saving initiatives around the city, advantages of being a club member, and how you can help sustain the new community seed library.

The community seed library will be available at the meeting! You will have an opportunity to swap or donate seeds as well as pick up some free seeds for your home garden!

No prior knowledge is required to attend these meetings. All ages are welcome at the meeting, however; all minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

*** Westside Community and School Gardens please inquire about seed donation with Ross Moster at ross@villagevancouver.ca

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The Storytelling Feast and Exhibit is a highlight of this year’s Sustenance Festival.
This event features...
A generous feast featuring local Indigenous,

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The Storytelling Feast and Exhibit is a highlight of this year’s Sustenance Festival.

This event features…

A generous feast featuring local Indigenous, Syrian, Ethiopian, Colombian, Japanese, Chinese, Jewish, and Ugandan foods and traditions from across our city

Shared recipes, food traditions, and discussion with community storytellers

Special exhibit and community tables highlighting Vancouver-area food, culture and justice initiative

Registration is limited and based on a first-come first-serve basis.

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The feast menu is faithfully adapted from the storytellers’ traditional recipes.

Please note: This includes vegan and vegetarian dishes. While there will be a plentiful range of eating options, we regret that dietary restrictions cannot be accomodated for every dish. No peanuts will be used, and all ingredients will be clearly labelled.

This event takes place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil Waututh) Nations.

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Featured storytellers (and recipes provided by)

Senaqwila Wyss

Nihal Elwan

Hasne Sheikh & Raghda Hassan

Margaret Mubanda

Mekdes Gete

Natividad “Tivi” López

Mara Shnay

Atsumi Hashimoto

Kevin Huang

See bios of our storytellers and speakers below.

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Senaqwila Wyss is an ethnobotanist, warrior entrepreneur, and co-owner of Raven and Hummingbird Tea Co. She is from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), Tsimshian, Sto:lo, Hawaiian and Swiss, and will soon graduate with her Bachelors in Communications and First Nations studies at SFU.

With her mother, traditionally trained ethnobotanist T’uy’t’tanat Cease Wyss, Senaqwila uses Indigenous plant teachings and shares that knowledge with people of all ages, particularly with her young daughter Kamaya. She is also learning the Squamish language in an effort for her daughter to become a fluent speaker.

Nihal Elwan is the founder of Tayybeh: A Celebration of Syrian Cuisine, a social enterprise and food venture that aims to support newly arrived women from Syrian by providing them with employment, financial security and social integration in their newfound home in BC. Tayybeh’s food has received rave reviewed by some of the top food critics in the city and continues to wow diners across the Lower Mainland!

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Navidad “Tivi” López is a researcher of various aspects of Colombian Caribbean cuisine with emphasis on the culinary systems of ethnic groups such as the Indigenous Wayuu people, specializing in Fiestas and Rituals, as well as Criollo food in the Department of La Guajira. She is also a participant of various gastronomic events, nationally and internationally. A responsible and detailed person, Tivi has a committed interest in the investigation of cooking and identity.

Kyakunda Margaret Mubanda was born and raised in Kashaari County, western region of Uganda in East Africa. Margaret speaks Bantu and appreciates and embraces Banyankore culture, values, beliefs and spirituality her parents shared with her while growing up. Truthfulness Generosity and Contentment were the three pillars in her family.

While living in Canada Margaret has appreciated meeting new people from other parts of the world. Margaret finds it very fascinating to hear people passionately talk about their history of the origin, love for their food, commitment to their values, beliefs and spirituality. The one thing she has identified to be a common connecter to all is the food. Most people if not all like trying new food from other countries. Margaret defines Food as the life line for all living things. Without food, no living thing can exist.

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Mekdes Gete, originally from Ethiopia is immigrated to Canada 25 years ago. For the last 20 years, she has worked as an early childhood educator and Montessori teacher. Since 2011 She has been working as BCRPA certified group fitness and yoga instructor, Mekdes also teaches Amharic language, traditional Ethiopian cooking as well as Ethiopian history to children born and raised in Vancouver and the lower mainland on Saturdays.

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Atsumi Hashimoto is a member of Japanese Community Volunteer Association, specifically a member of Tonari Gumi Garden Club. Tonari Gumi has just published a gardening book, entitled Our Edible Roots. The Japanese Canadian Kitchen Garden funded by New Horizons for Seniors Program.

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Mara Shnay has a long and varied work history from teaching mindfulness to managing IT projects. Her focus now is on chairing a client advisory committee within Jewish Family Services to help the agency continuously improve services and meet clients’ needs, especially unmet and unrecognized needs. One of the committee’s key goals is creating community and connection. Her other main interest is her blog devoted to helping people with disabling medical conditions live joyful lives.

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In this Village Vancouver workshop with Lori Snyder, you'll discover how to make beeswax salves with infused plant oils. It's quick and easy, and beeswax salves have many different applications,

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In this Village Vancouver workshop with Lori Snyder, you’ll discover how to make beeswax salves with infused plant oils. It’s quick and easy, and beeswax salves have many different applications, including lip balms, natural skin care, hand salves and salves for wounds and sprains.

Gardeners, you can make salves from your garden from a variety of plant infused olive oils blended into beeswax.

We’ll have a community seed library present – pick up some free seeds for your garden, swap or donate seeds.

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Squishy, crispy, sticky, wobbly - how does your food feel? Come explore these different textures of food and learn how to make some of them in this workshop series! Each

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Squishy, crispy, sticky, wobbly – how does your food feel? Come explore these different textures of food and learn how to make some of them in this workshop series! Each workshop will focus on a different food feeling and cooking types of food that fit that theme.

In this workshop, learn how to make crispy veggie chips with different flavours of seasoning.

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What challenges do you face in getting fresh and healthy food in the West End and Downtown? What can we do as a community to create a more vibrant food

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What challenges do you face in getting fresh and healthy food in the West End and Downtown? What can we do as a community to create a more vibrant food system in the neighbourhood? Share, connect and collaborate to find solutions around food security at this community conversation and townhall.

Cost: Free to attend and lunch is provided. Please contact with any dietary restrictions or allergies.

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Food movement activism is often connected to social issues of identity, race, class, and power. For those with white and light-skinned privilege, how does privilege play out in our work?

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Food movement activism is often connected to social issues of identity, race, class, and power. For those with white and light-skinned privilege, how does privilege play out in our work? And how power be shared in more meaningful ways?

In this workshop series, participants will explore how understandings of race, power, privilege, and the impact on food activism and movement work.

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Squishy, crispy, sticky, wobbly - how does your food feel? Come explore these different textures of food and learn how to make some of them in this workshop series! Each

Event Details

Squishy, crispy, sticky, wobbly – how does your food feel? Come explore these different textures of food and learn how to make some of them in this workshop series! Each workshop will focus on a different food feeling and cooking types of food that fit that theme.

In this workshop, learn how to make sticky onigiri and mango sticky rice!

Free to attend, but registration required in advance. Register at Renfrew Park Community Centre.

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Get into the holiday spirit with some sweet treats! Mamoul (also called ma'amoul) is a beautiful Syrian dessert made from a 72 hour-long process. The dough is fermented with semolina

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Get into the holiday spirit with some sweet treats! Mamoul (also called ma’amoul) is a beautiful Syrian dessert made from a 72 hour-long process. The dough is fermented with semolina and ghee, then stuffed with walnuts, pistachios & dates.

This workshop is led by mother-daughter team Hayat and Carmen who come from the oldest inhabited capital city in the world, Damascus. The pair have recently started their own Syrian catering business.

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Wheels to Meals is a healthy, affordable, and accessible luncheon for seniors that takes place every other Thursday at the Hastings Community Center. This lunch is a chance for seniors

Event Details

Wheels to Meals is a healthy, affordable, and accessible luncheon for seniors that takes place every other Thursday at the Hastings Community Center. This lunch is a chance for seniors to socialize and share a meal together. A ride can be arranged to and from the lunch, and the cost is only $3!

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Triple bottom line sustainability for your food business: a myth or a reality? Answer that question alongside our entire Feeding Growth community. Celebrate local, progressive food entrepreneurs and champions with good food and a special keynote invitee! This is the final workshop and celebration of the Scale Your Progressive Food Business workshop series.

About Feeding Growth

Through community engagement and education activities, the Feeding Growth community of food leaders, supporters, businesses, and organizations work together to amplify the local food economy by assisting the producers of exceptional, healthy, sustainable, and socially responsible retail and packaged goods companies.

What to expect?

Engaging conversations with local leaders equipped to change the food business landscape.

Delicious local brews and bites (food includes vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free options).